August 2008

Sunday, August 31, 2008

How's your weekend going so far? I am still very much under the weather, and unable to stamp anything...for fear of dripping all over my project (if you kwim). So, today I'm going to share a big pile of wonderful cards I've received over the last couple of weeks! Enjoy these fabulous works of art! :)

Isn't this the coolest card you've ever seen?! I just LOVE it! Three of my fabulous customers made it for me. The envelope was addressed from "The Three Muskateers", and I knew instantly right who it was from! These woman are just delightful people, and incredibly talented to boot! I'm so blessed to know them!

This one came from my new stamping friend, Laura Fredrickson, also known as scrapnextras on SCS. Isn't it just beautiful?! I love her layout and color choices! Laura is a fellow Dirty Dozen designer..check out her blog and gallery! She's amazing!

OMGosh, aren't these bees CAH-UTE?! I keep seeing them everywhere, and have no idea who makes them. Anybody know?

This bright and cheerful card came from Sandy Galley, also known as sgalley on SCS. She sent this to me to welcome me into the SCS RAK group. I joined the group so that I could have a wonderful way to share all of the many, many cards I've been making. I just sent out a batch of 9 cards to people in the group who share the same birthday as me. If you just send a card to someone for no reason, it's called a RAK. If you send it for a birthday, it's called a BRAK. I'm sure many of you know the lingo; but I didn't know it until fairly recently. There might just be someone else out there like me! :) There is also another section of the group called WishRAK. That is a place where you can post wishes for images that you'd like to try, but haven't purchased the stamp yet. Then people grant your wishes by sending you the images stamped on the cardstock of your choice..way cool. You can also wish for cardstock, ribbon, and embellishments; but I joined for the images! :)

Here's another beautiful card from Sandy. This one's a BRAK, since my b-day is on Tuesday. I just love it...the colors are so pretty, and that image is darling! ...and LOOK...she stamped the inside too, which is one of my new favorite things to do...love it!

This gorgeous creation is from a downline member, Elaine Sandford. Elaine always includes one of her beautiful cards whenever she sends a check in the mail or any other correspondence. I always look forward to them!

Check out how she used the Scallop Edge Punch! Isn't that cool?!

This last card was handed to me at my downline event on Thursday by the fabulous Avril Miller. It is just SO FABULOUS!!! I love the colors together, and the fun layout...and my favorite new Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon...and check it out, she made a coordinating envelope! Just too cool!

I hope you all have a very blessed Sunday! It looks like another day of rest for this sick chick. I am so bummed, cuz I really wanted to go to the lake with my family...but no one else seems to want what I've got. Tomorrow's another day... :)

Saturday, August 30, 2008

My downline event went great! I always enjoy hanging with those fabulous women...lots of fun and laughter! I will share pictures in a few days.

My neck pain is now mild, although it has extended into my back; but it's definitely very tolerable...yeah! Would you believe I now have a terrible cold or the flu or something? It started just hours after my event was over, and now I'm coughing up a storm, going through insane amounts of Kleenex, and generally feeling like a freight train ran over me. I am sooo thankful that it waited until after the event...gotta find joy in the little things, right? :)

The card above was the m&t I designed for the event. It's super-simple because it's supposed to be "demonstratable"....a word I need to repeat slowly over and over to myself! haha I do like to add lots of details to my cards; but nothing scares a customer away faster! Besides, I think it's pretty darned cute without a lot of fru-fru! The Upsy Daisy set and yummy new colors made it easy-peasy for me! Oh, and that Big Shot Top Note die is the coolest!

Friday, August 29, 2008

Well, my neck was feeling better; but I think I've been over-doing it a bit, trying to get ready for my downline event. Guess I'm gonna have to force myself to chill out! I know I should see a chiropractor...and I will if it's not better this weekend.

While my neck was doing better, I stamped up a quick card for Kristina's color challenge this week. I just couldn't resist...look how yummy those colors are!!!

Here it is. I warned you that it was a quick card! It's really hard to tell; but I faux stitched the left edge with my Chocolate Chip marker and piercing tools...looks cool in person.

I used some fun new products on this...like the Sweet Always Designer Series Paper and felt flowers from SU, and one of my new Just Rite stamps for the flower frame. Oh, I should mention that the little bit of Certainly Celery you see there is a stamp from the cute new Bella's Bloom set from SU.

Speaking of Just Rite...did you see the awesome contest they're running over there??? All you have to do is make a project with one of their products, and enter it to win lots of fun stamping goodies!!! Their stuff is so awesome! ...and they have some really fabulous new stuff coming out soon too!

Stamps: Bella's Bloom, It's Your Birthday, Just Rite flower frame

Inks: Regal Rose, Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip

Papers: Very Vanilla, Sweet Always DSP, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Pink Pirouette Striped Grosgrain, Chocolate Chip Taffeta, Scallop Circle Punch, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, Pink Pirouette & Chocolate Chip Flower Fusion Felt Flowers, Pink Brad, Piercing Tools, DimensionalsI like to decorate the inside of my cards too, which you can just see in this photo. The color's a little wonky in this one; but you can get a little bit of a better view of the stamping here as well.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Thank you all soooo much for the prayers, e-mails and well-wishes! You are the BEST!!! I am feeling better today...still having moderate neck pain; but at least I can move today! :)

Here is a card I made for Joan's Dirty Dare challenge to make a card using silhouette stamps. This is the oh-so-fabulous Spring Ephemerals stamp set from Flourishes. They just came out with another fabulous silhouette set, Summer Botanicals, which is on it's way to me right this very moment! I can't wait to get my hands on it!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Catchy title, huh? Well, the truth is, I really do have a pain in the neck...a BIG one! I woke up yesterday morning with shooting pain down the left side of my neck, making it almost impossible for me to move it. I'm so frustrated, because I have a big downline event on Thursday and I have a LOT to do to get ready for it! Guess which day I had set aside as my marathon stamping/cleaning day??? Yup...yesterday! Guess the joke's on me, cuz try as I might, I couldn't stamp a thing if I wanted to. I have taken lots of ibuprofen and kept the heating pad on as much as possible...but so far, it's not getting any better. If you pray, please send one up for me today! I *need* to get some prep done today!

Since I can't stamp, I have gone into the stamping vault to find a few projects that I've never shared with you all before. Hopefully, I will have something fresh and new to share with you tomorrow. :)

Ahhh...remember Vintage Violet? It was the perfect fall purple, don't you think?

Did you notice something all three of these cards have in common? They are all matchbook fold cards. I went through a phase a couple of years ago where I just couldn't get enough of them. Come to think of it, I haven't made one in quite a while. Hmmm....maybe I'll make one soon.

The other thing these cards have in common are that they were all made two years ago in the fall of 2006. Some things never change, huh? I'm still just as addicted to my White Gel Pen today! :)

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Happy back-to-school to all the kiddos...and especially all the moms and dads! {grin}

Abbi's first day of 3rd grade went off without a hitch. She's happy, eager, and has a wonderful teacher. It's gonna be a great year! :)

Tomorrow is Nick's turn...5th grade...oh my! Those years go by so quickly, don't they?!

Here's a fun project I made for SU's convention displays. It's a card tote....betcha wanna know how to make it, huh??? Well, I'm not so good with tutorials; but here are the dimensions. You will need an 8-1/2" x 11" sheet of card stock. On the 8-1/2" side, score at 2" and 6-1/2". On the 11" side, score at 4-1/2" and 6-1/2", then cut slits in these score lines on outer sections only. Stamp and embellish as desired, and fold on score lines. Put tote together with Sticky Strip, so it doesn't fall apart on you! I added my handles in between the tote and the stamped band around the top, so you don't see the ends.

OMGosh, I almost forgot to tell ya.... Remember that challenge card I did the other day for Kristina Werner's Color Challenge? Well, she picked it as one of her Top Ten!! How cool is that?! I was just tickled Pink Pirouette when I saw that! Have you played along with Kristina's challenges yet? No??? Well, come on...whatcha waitin' for...an invitation??? Okay, you're invited! :)

Monday, August 25, 2008

Goodness, I keep finding cards that I haven't posted on my blog yet! I think this is the last one that's been hanging around for a bit. Today's card was made for one of the SCS sketch challenges last month.

Here's the sketch:

Here's the card:

I was so excited to get to play with this stamp set from Gina K Designs. I LOVE it!

Sunday, August 24, 2008

We are all sooo tired after our busy week and long day at Six Flags on Friday. It's a good tired, though...we had sooo much fun! We got home sometime after midnight, and all of us slept in yesterday (yeah for Saturday!). Abbi actually slept until 2pm!!! I had to keep checking to make sure she was still breathing! We decided to let her sleep since she starts 3rd grade on Monday...sigh. Is summer vacation really over? Can we just have two more weeks...pretty please???

Today I have two cards to share with you. Both of these were made for last month's Dirty Dare challenges over on SCS. I was making cards so fast and furious that I guess I forgot to post some of them on my blog; so I'm doing it now. :)

This first card was for the vellum challenge. I hardly ever use my vellum anymore; so this was a good one for me! I really do love vellum...just forget it's there! (It's kinda see-through, you know! hee hee)

The photo isn't super-clear; but the vellum layer was run through my CuttleBug with the Textured Textile Embossing Folder...really pretty. The butterfly is also stamped on vellum and colored on the back with a Real Red SU Marker.

This card was for the Dirty Dare ribbon challenge. I had this fun, polka-dotted ribbon sitting around, and thought this was the perfect opportunity to use it. I used it as stripes, bows, and at the bottom of the sentiment.

This was for Taylor's Dirty Dare cupcake challenge. This is the ONLY
cupcake stamp I own, and it is now retired...but that is soon to
change! I have my eye on a couple of those new cupcake sets from SU!

I'm loving the new Pink Pirouette and Riding Hood Red In Colors from SU, aren't you!? I used a flourish from Frames with a Flourish to make the cupcake stand...thought it worked surprisingly well! I also added some Crystal Effects and pink Stickles to make the frosting look sparkly and shiny!

I can hardly believe school starts this week!! Where on earth did the summer go?! We sure did have a lot of fun this summer, though. I hope you did too!

Friday, August 22, 2008

My sweet little Abbi turns 8 years old today! She is our baby, and is growing up waaaaay too fast!!! I made this card especially for her, since she loves flowers and all things girly and sparkly. This card also met the requirements for this week's sketch challenge and Jen Del Muro's Dirty Dozen challenge. So, I got a lot of mileage out of this one!!!

Isn't that flower image sooo pretty?! It's one of Flourishes new releases! I am just LOVING their stamps! They are so elegant, detailed and fabulous!

The chipboard '8' is from Stampin' Up's Lots of Letters On Board Chipboard, which is my absolute favorite...I have 6 packs of it...no lie! I covered the number with Celery Craft ink, then Crystal Effects, then clear Chunky Glitter.

Oh, I should mention that this is a 4-1/4" square card. I posted a card this size on Monday (the 18th), and mentioned making my own envelopes to fit. I have had several requests for how I do this; so I will refer you back to my tutorial for making your own. Just click HERE. It's soooo easy!

Have a super day everyone! Jim & I had such a wonderful day yesterday on our "date". Everything went exactly as planned...only better! It was absolutely perfect! My Fair Lady was FABULOUS!!! While we were at the playhouse we got tickets for four to see High School Musical on Stage in a month...the kids are gonna be insanely excited about that! Today, we're headed to Six Flags...for real this time. It's supposed to be a HOT one, which makes for a perfect water park day. We are gonna be some TIRED people after two big days in a row...gettin' old, y'know! :)